Confining hand-held dispenser cap

ABSTRACT

A small hand-held dispenser of the pressurized container type, provided with a jumbo-size confining- type cap arranged with a deep, cup-like depression in which the dispensed product is initially restricted. Such product, discharged in the form of a foam, reacts after discharge to form a cotton-like mass that is initially confined by the cup portion of the cap. The cup-like cap configuration is characterized by two oppositely-disposed deeply cut-away rim portions which give the rim a scallop-like shape whereby not only is there facilitated the removal of the product as a somewhat fluffy mass but in addition there is had the advantageous effect of large venting passages during the initial discharge, while the cap is being pushed inward by the palm of the user&#39;&#39;s hand. An adapter ring, which can be applied to a conventional pressurized container can, constitutes a locking means. It has a configuration enabling it to be snapped onto the top wall of the can and also to control the cap by permitting restricted turning movement of the latter between end stops. A cooperable locking arrangement on the adapter ring and cap body prevents the latter from being depressed or pushed inward to effect discharge of product after it has been turned to engage one of the end stops. Upon opposite turning to engage the other end stop, the cap can be depressed to effect the discharge.

United States Patent 1 [111 3,770,170

Hayes Nov. 6, 1973 CONFINING HAND-HELD DISPENSER CAP tainer type,provided with ajumbo-size confiningtype [75] Inventor: Thomas H. Hayes,Westport, Conn. Cap arranged with a j f i dePression in which thedispensed product 15 initially restricted. Such prodl Assigneel VCACorporation, Greenwich, uct, discharged in the form of a foam, reactsafter disconn- 1 charge to form a cotton-like mass that is initiallycon- [22] Filed: Aug. 28, 1972 fined by the cup portion of the cap. Thecup-like cap configuration is characterized by two oppositelypp 284,429disposed deeply cut-away rim portions which give the rim a scallop-likeshape whereby not only is there facili- 52 US. Cl. 222/402.11 taed theremoval of Pmduc as a SOmewha Huffy 51 Int. c! B65d 83/14 mass but inaddltiaa is had advantageous [58] Field of Search 222/402.11, 402.13,large Venting Passages during the initial 222/402J2, 394 402A 402.24 146HA; charge, while the cap is being pushed inward by the 128/173 R palmof the users hand. An adapter ring, WhlCl'l can be applied to aconventional pressurized container can,

[56] References Cited cgpstitutesg locking crineans. }It has acplnfifglilration enda mg it to e snappe ontot e top wa o t e can anUNITED STATES PATENTS also to control the cap by permitting restrictedturning Ramis movement of the latter between end stops A cooper-3,170,462 2/1965 Hall 222 402.1 x able locking arrangement on theadapter ring and cap g f g body prevents the latter from being depressedor 312031454 8/1965 Minna r111: 1:: 22140212 x Pushed inward to effectdischarge of Product it Primary Examiner-Stanley H. Tollberg Attorney-H.Gibner Lehmann et al.

[57] ABSTRACT A small hand-held dispenser of the pressurized conhas beenturned to engage one of the end stops. Upon opposite turning to engagethe other end stop, the cap can be depressed to effect the discharge.

6 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures M f/ l 20 v 7; 6O I K 2 i 22 My PATENTED NEW6 I973 SHEET 2 OF 2 CONFINING HAND-HELD DISPENSER CAP CROSS REFERENCESTO RELATED APPLICATIONS l. Copending application of Steven W. Beres andWolf Steiman filed June 18, 1971, Ser. No. 154,340 and entitled Mass orBulk Forming Dispenser Cap for Pressure Cans.

BACKGROUND This invention relates to small hand-held dispensers of thetype employing pressurized cans, and more particularly to the dischargecap or actuator devices provided for such dispensers. In the past,numerous jumbotype actuator caps for pressurized hand-held dispensershave been proposed and produced. With the advent of different kinds ofproducts that were intended to be dispensed to satisfy a variety ofpurposes, the dispenser caps were often modified or adapted so as tosuit the particular product being used, thereby adding to theconvenience and practicability of the dispenser.

One newly developed product is a formulation which is discharged as afoam, and which reacts after its discharge, so as to form a cotton-likemass. Such a product has been provided with cleansing and antisepticingredients whereby the resultant cotton-like mass is found useful as ameans of cleansing and sterilizing cuts, small wounds and the like, aswell as providing a soft antiseptic dressing for the same. In theco-pending application of Wolf Steiman above identified, a jumbotype capis disclosed, having a cup-like or hollow top configuration adapted tocontain such a cotton-like mass in the manner of a serving means bywhich it is readily formed and antiseptically confined until removal.While this prior serving type cap has in general been satisfactory, Ihave found that due to the pressurized nature of the discharge there isa tendency for the users hand, when forcing the cap inward, to shut offor sea] the cup-like configuration with the result that pressure buildsup within the hollow of the cap, tending to find an outlet whereby thedischarging product sometimes squirts free past the cap edges which areconfined by the users hand. While this has no serious or tragic results,it constitutes an unexpected occurrance which sometimes startles theuser and/or results in an untidy condition.

With the advent of increased sophistication in packaging, actuator capsfor aerosol devices are now being considered unacceptable if they can beaccidentally actuated during shipment and storage. In consequence, newertrends now stress locking-type actuator caps which have variousdetent-or latch mechanisms intended to prevent accidental discharge ofthe contents thereof during rough or improper handling. These priorsafety devices in most cases required modification of the pressurizedcontainer, or else special designs of the top wall portions in order toeffect the locking and safety features. Thus, a conventional typepressurized container in general could not be used if the safety featurewas a requisite.

SUMMARY The above drawbacks and disadvantages of prior dispenseractuators are obviated by the present invention, which has for oneobject the provision of a novel and improved actuator cap for foamy orfibre-forming prducts, which cap can be readily incorporated in orattached to conventional pressurized cans and still provide a safety orlocking feature, such cap being also arranged to provide large ventingpassages, thereby eliminating the likelihood of squirting of the productor messiness during use of the dispenser. A related object of theinvention is to provide an improved actuator cap construction as abovecharacterized, which is especially simple in its construction,economical to produce, and which permits quick and easy assemblage topressurized containers. These objects are accomplished bh the provisionof a jumbo-type cylindrical cap body having in its top portion a deepcup-like recess or confining surface, arranged with deep scallopedopposite sides by which large air vent passages exist even when theusers hand is applied to the cap body to force the same inward. The capbody has a centrally disposed depending skirt adapted to telescopewithin the metal valve mounting cup of the conventional pressurized can,and has oppositely located abutments or shoulders which are cooperablewith an adapter and retainer ring so constituted that it can be snappedover the outer periphery of the valve mounting cup of the pressurizedcan. Cooperable detent means on the metal mounting cup and the skirt ofthe cap body hold the latter captive. Also, cooperable end stops on thecap and the adapter ring effect proper orientation of these parts sothat the cap can be turned from one extreme position wherein it islocked against actuation, to another extreme position wherein it isreleased and capable of being depressed or forced inward to effectdischarge of the container contents. Thus, all the objectives of theinvention are attained by the provision of only two pieces, namely theadapter ring and the jumbo-size cap body, these being cooperable witheach other and with the metal valve mounting cup of conventionalpressurized dispenser cans.

Still other features and advantages of the invention will hereinafterappear.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is an axial sectional view of the upper portion of a pressurizeddispenser having the improved safety, locking-type jumbo cap providedwith a venting, squirtpreventing hollow serving surface. The cap isshown in the non-discharging, locked position.

FIG. 2 is an axial sectional view similar to that of FIG. 1 but taken ina plane at right angles to the plane of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the cap body per se.

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the cap body.

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the cap body, looking in thedirection of the arrow in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the novel adapter ring as provided by theinvention.

FIG. 7 is a diametric sectional view of the adapter ring, taken on theline 7-7 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view of the adapter ring, taken on theline 8-8 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary side elevational view of another embodiment ofthe invention, comprising a pressurized dispenser having the actuatorcap rim larger than and surrounding the upper portion of the container.

Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2 there is shown a pressurized containeror can 10 having a circular top closure wall 12 which is secured at itsperiphery by the usual crimped edge 14. As usual, the top wall 12 isdome-shaped and has an upper circular edge 16 to which there is attacheda metal mounting cup 18, as by curling outward and downward the outerperiphery or rim 20 of the cup 18 in the usual manner. Th cup 18 carriesthe usual type of valve housing 22 which has an upstanding hollowdepressable valve stem 24 of conventional construction. The valvehousing 22 is secured in an inverted center cup portion 26 of themounting cup 18 in the usual manner. The peripheral side walls 28 of themounting cup 18 are of undercut configuration whereby its lower portionhas a larger inside diameter than the inside diameter of the upper orcurl portion 20. All of the foregoing construction is generallyconventional, being common to pressurized dispensing cans.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a novel andimproved jumbo, product-serving or holding-type actuator cap designatedgenerally by the numeral 30, such cap having a cylindrical outer sidewall 32 the lower edge 34 of which is shown as received in an annulargroove 36 in the container top wall 12. The actuator cap 30 has a hollowor concave, cup-like transverse top wall 38 provided with'a dependinghollow boss or sleeve 40 adapted to loosely fit over the valve stem 24.The wall 38 has a central discharge opening 42 by which the product tobe dispensed, passing out through the valve stem 24, can be dischargedinto the cup-like formation of the wall 38.

By the present invention, the actuator cap 30 is provided with ascalloped-edge type of formation, comprising in the embodimentillustrated in FIGS. 1-9 a pair of diametrically opposite, deep and widecurved notches 44 adapted to constitute air venting passages at suchtime that the users hand is applied to the top or end of the actuatorcap 30 to depress the latter, with the container held in the invertedposition. The notches 44 are-seen to have a depth greater than half thedepth of the cup-shaped top wall 38. The top scalloped edge of the cap30 is defined by a narrow top wall portion 46 which has two oppositeconvex portions 48 joined together by two opposite concave portions 50,in a sinusoidal configuration.

Depending from the cup-like top wall 38 is a guide skirt 52 whichtelescopically fits within the peripheral curl portion 20 of themounting cup 18, thereby constituting a guide for the cap 30 to enablethe latter to have vertical depressing movement'for depressing the valvestem 24 to effect discharge of the product.

In accordance with the invention, the depending guide skirt 52 isprovided with a plurality of detent beads 54 which are engageable withthe inner surface of the curl 20 of the mounting cup 18 to hold the cap30 captive on the container while permitting limited vertical movementthereon. As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the cap 30 is in its raised,non-discharging position from which it must first be turned(approximately 90 and then shifted downward or inward to a slightlydepressed position so as to actuate the valve stem 24 and open the valve(not shown), thereby to enable product to be discharged into the cavityformed by the cup-like wall 38 of the cap. Such depressing movement ofthe actuator cap 30 is effected with the dispenser inverted, by applyingthe palm of the hand to the cap rim or edge 46, 48 and pressing thecontainer downward toward the palm. When this is done, the notches 44will ordinarily not be closed by the users hand but instead willconstitute large, venting openings that prevent pressure build-up in thecup portion 38 of the cap and accordingly minimize the likelihood of anysquirting out of the product or messy discharge wherein the product isnot fully contained wholly in or on the wall portion 38. It will beunderstood that, as the foam-like product is discharged from the valvestem 24 a reaction will occur, resulting in a rapid physical change fromthe soft foamlike consistency to a fibrous or cotton-like consistency sothat a cotton-like mass will be formed against the palm of the hand andwithin the cup portion 38 of the cap.

The present invention also provides a novel adapter member by which asafety, locking feature of the cap is had. The said adapter member is inthe form of a ring or annulus 58, FIGS. 6-8 comprising a dependingcircular flange 60 having an internal detent bead 62 by which the ringcan be snapped over and retained by the peripheral curl portion 20 ofthe mounting cup 18. During such procedure the ring 58 will yield orexpand radially and circumferentially a slight extent, due to theresilient nature of the plastic of which it is formed. The ring 58 has acircular top surface or track 64 on which there rides the bottom edgesof a pair of locking-wall formations 66, such formations having curvedwall portions 68 and end wall portions 70 as seen in FIG. 4.

The end wall portions 70 of the locking-walls 66 constitute end stops,and are cooperable with raised portions 72 provided on the tracks 64 ofthe adapter ring 58. By such arrangement the cap 30 can be turnedapproximately between the end stops, from a raised locked position asillustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 to a raised unlocked position wherein thewall formations 66 register with elongate notches 74 in the track 64 ofthe ring 58. For such latter condition, clearance space is had below thelocking walls 66 whereby the cap 30 is no longer locked in its raised,non-discharging position but instead can be depressed, enabling the wallformations 66 to occupy the notches 74. Small detent nibs 76 which areelongate horizontally, are provided at the inner sides of the adapterring 58 and bear against the guide skirt 52 of the cap. By theirplacement the ribs 76 provide a frictional engagement with the cap toprevent looseness and to hold the cap in either its unlocked dispensingposition or else its locked, nondispensing position, without thelikelihood of the cap popping up, off of the container.

The ring 58 is frictionally secured in place and normally can be turnedonly with difficulty, whereupon the locking and unlocking of the cap iseffected by turning the latter approximately 590, between the twoextreme positions as determined by the end stops 72 of the ring 58.

The assemblage of the adapter ring 58 to the pressurized can be quicklyand easily effected by a suitable pressing or stamping operation, andthe assembly of the cap 30 to the can 10 can be likewise easily andquickly effected. Only two molded plastic parts are thus involved,namely the cap 30 and the ring 58, and such parts can be readily moldedin simple cavities, and can be economically mass produced.

The construction is seen to be specially simple, reliable and foolproofin its operation, and there is had not only the safety feature of alocking-type cap but also the safety feature of providing large airvents to prevent pressure build-up and squirting of product when the capis forced inward or upward (with dispenser inverted) by applying thepalm of the hand to the cap rim and pressing.

Another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 9, whereinthe cap 30a is applied to a container a having a crimped edge 14a whichis of reduced diameter compared with the remainder of the container sothat the lower rim portion of the cap extends around the outside of, andconceals the crimped edge. This results in a neater, flush appearance.Also, the cap 30a has three deep curved venting notches 44a as comparedwith the two notches 44 of the embodiment of FIGS. 1-8. The notches 44aserve the same function as the notches 44, in providing vent passagesand preventing squirting and messiness during the discharge.

Other variations and modifications are possible without departing fromthe spirit of the invention.

1 claim:

1. In a hand-held dispenser, in combination:

a. a container having a top closure wall including a mounting cupprovided with an annular rim,

b. an adapter ring attached to said rim and having an upper track and anotch in said track,

0. an actuator cap turnably carried by said closure wall, having meansfor engagement with a valve stem to actuate the same, and having alocking portion adapted to ride along the upper track of the adapterring when the cap is turned,

d. means for holding said cap captive on the closure wall while enablingit to be turned between locking and unlocking positions,

e. said locking portion being registerable with and receivable in thenotch of the track for the unlocked cap position, to permit depressingmovement of the cap so as to operate the valve stem,

f. said locking portion when out of said notch and out of registrationtherewith being engageable with and blocked against downward movement bysaid track for the locked cap position, thereby to prevent the cap frombeing depressed,

g. cooperable stop means on the ring and cap, for halting the latter ineither of its said two positions when it is being turned, and

h. a bearing skirt depending from the underside of the cap andengageable with said mounting cup to turnably mount the cap,

i. said means for holding the cap captive comprising a plurality ofdetent shoulders disposed on the exterior of the bearing skirt andlocated adjacent the rim thereof, and comprising undercut walls of saidmounting cup, engaged by said shoulders.

2. A dispenser as in claim 1, wherein:

a. the locking portion of the cap comprises a depending wall having acurved portion extending along and spaced from the bearing skirt, andhaving end portions joining the curved portion to said skirt.

3. A dispenser as in claim 1, wherein:

a. the detent shoulders are three in number, spaced apart 4. A dispenseras in claim 2, wherein:

a. the stop means on the ring comprises a pair of upstandingprojections,

b. said stop means on the cap comprising the end portions of the lockingwall thereof.

5. A dispenser as in claim 4, wherein:

a. the upstanding projections on the ring are substantially V-shaped.

6. A confining-type actuator cap for a hand-held dispenser, comprisingin combination:

a. a tubular cap body having an annular side wall and an open bottom,and having a hollow top portion,

b. said hollow top portion of the body comprising a concave, cup-shapedtransverse top wall, the outermost peripheral edge portion of which isconnected to said annular side wall,

c. said cap body having a notched top rim comprising said connectionbetween the annular side wall and the concave top wall,

d. said top rim comprising a continuous narrow band of wave-likeconfiguration surrounding the cupshaped transverse top wall,

e. said narrow band comprising a plurality of deep notches having adepth more than one-half the depth of the cup-shaped top wall.

1. In a hand-held dispenser, in combination: a. a container having a topclosure wall including a mounting cup provided with an annular rim, b.an adapter ring attached to said rim and having an upper track and anotch in said track, c. an actuator cap turnably carried by said closurewall, having means for engagement with a valve stem to actuate the same,and having a locking portion adapted to ride along the upper track ofthe adapter ring when the cap is turned, d. means for holding said capcaptive on the closure wall while enabling it to be turned betweenlocking and unlocking positions, e. said locking portion beingregisterable with and receivable in the notch of the track for theunlocked cap position, to permit depressing movement of the cap so as tooperate the valve stem, f. said locking portion when out of said notchand out of registration therewith being engageable with and blockedagainst downward movement by said track for the locked cap position,thereby to prevent the cap from being depressed, g. cooperable stopmeans on the ring and cap, for halting the latter in either of its saidtwo positions when it is being turned, and h. a bearing skirt dependingfrom the underside of the cap and engageable with said mounting cup toturnably mount the cap, i. said means for holding the cap captivecomprising a plurality of detent shoulders disposed on the exterior ofthe bearing skirt and located adjacent the rim thereof, and comprisingundercut walls of said mounting cup, engaged by said shoulders.
 2. Adispenser as in claim 1, wherein: a. the locking portion of the capcomprises a depending wall having a curved portion extending along andspaced from the bearing skirt, and having end portions joining thecurved portion to said skirt.
 3. A dispenser as in claim 1, wherein: a.the detent shoulders are three in number, spaced apart 120*.
 4. Adispenser as in claim 2, wherein: a. the stop means on the ringcomprises a pair of upstanding projections, b. said stop means on thecap comprising the end portions of the locking wall thereof.
 5. Adispenser as in claim 4, wherein: a. the upstanding projections on thering are substantially V-shaped.
 6. A confining-type actuator cap for ahand-held dispenser, comprising in combination: a. a tubular cap bodyhaving an annular side wall and an open bottom, and having a hollow topportion, b. said hollow top portion of the body comprising a concave,cup-shaped transverse top wall, the outermost peripheral edge portion ofwhich is connected to said annular side wall, c. said cap body having anotched top rim comprising said connection between the annular side walland the concave top wall, d. said top rim comprising a continuous narrowband of wave-like configuration surrounding the cup-shaped transversetop wall, e. said narrow band comprising a plurality of deep notcheshaving a depth more than one-half the depth of the cup-shaped top wall.